There is an interesting difference of opinion on whether teachers should "friend" their students on Facebook. (For those who have been living in a cave, to "friend" is a momentous action with the social media site, and not just because it creates a new verb.) Some think it's okay, others not so much.
Parents have been famously shocked when they look at their kids' Facebook pages, especially when photos and videos are placed on the site that probably should be kept private. Employees should watch out, too, as their bosses may be logging in.
For teachers, the results can be similarly unfortunate. As Dean Dad of Inside Higher Ed. puts it, "Once you’ve seen your professor on YouTube shirtless, wearing Groucho glasses, and singing the theme to Rawhide, you can’t unsee it. Not that I would know anything about that."
Another new verb: unsee. He left out the necktie headband and the ice bucket hat, while playing an air guitar. But that would never happen.
More seriously, the writer has a number of good suggestions, but warns against "friending" students for the most part. Please read the entire post.
One obvious new wrinkle is that the personal stuff is "out there" once placed on the site, perhaps forever. But this is true of text and e-mail messages as well, which are used subsequently in court these days. Then there's Twitter, which has ruined more than one career. It's all about context and degree, but assuming that everything you post will be viewed by everyone couldn't hurt.
Teachers in small towns already know the territory. They see their students all over the place—grocery stores, restaurants, and sporting events. Families get to know each other. Usually it's a good thing, and can help humanize the instructor, as the student learns that this individual doesn't actually live and breathe algebra all day.
On the other hand, too much socializing can have negative consequences. Hanging out in the school cafeteria is one thing, but a Jimmy Buffett concert with Charlie Sheen could be quite another.
Interestingly, some teachers use Facebook as a course management system, posting announcements, videos, documents, and images. It's free, of course, which adds to its attraction. Virtually all practitioners advise creating a Facebook domain for each class, totally separate from any personal account. Seems like a winner.
Some colleges require that faculty use the management system purchased and approved by the institution for all official communications. It allows the school to exercise some control, perhaps for legal reasons.
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